Reviews by jjcote:

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Big thanks to Mike for pulling out this beauty at the tasting. It looks like a liquid, mahogany, wooden bureau with decent clarity at the edges. The middle would be clear, too, if the hue wasn't so cohesively dark. The tan head foams up quick and slowly settles to a collar that looks a bit lighter in color.

Deep and heavy bourbon infiltrates the aroma, complete with other various components you'd expect from a wee heavy; dark fruit sweetness, prunes, dates, some malty, brown sugar, a hint of caramel and black licorice, with a finishing note of smoke. The bourbon is not lost at all, and actually I'd go so far as to say it's the strongest part of the aroma by far.

For a second, I thought I accidentally took a sip from the glass of Buffalo Trace on the table; this sucker has such an enormous bourbon presence, and even a raw, whiskey-ish feel. If muscles were bourbon, Barrel Aged Big Sound would be Arnold Schwarzenegger. Less than 1% body fat, for real, dead lifting a car and takin' straight shots of whiskey to the dome.

Plums, sweet dates, brown sugar and a river of smooth and sweet toffee give the bourbon an extra leg with which to stand on, and they do their best to balance. Once you get a little more acquainted to the bourbon, the other flavors start to stand out a bit more. More fruit, more caramel and brown sugar, and a finishing touch of oak and toffee.

The bourbon will leave a lasting impression on your palate, long after the beer is gone, and it is accentuated by the fact that this beer feels way bigger than it really is. I couldn't believe it was only 8.5% ABV - it's very bourbon heavy and the body is quite large; creamy, smooth, thick, and heavy overall. Barrel Aged Big Sound flexes like a madman.

Very good beer, and probably the only time I've called an 8.5% ABV beer a "slow sipper", but it's eminently true here. I actually think it would benefit with some age, giving the bourbon a chance to mingle and settle in with the rest of the flavors and hopefully form a bond for the greater good. As it stands - still a great beer, just a bit hot at the moment.

The beer pours a dark brown to black color with a tan head. The aroma has some cedar notes, but what really comes through is the roasted malt and bourbon. I also get a hint of menthol in the aroma. The flavor is similar. The cedar is once again present, but it takes a back seat to the heavy oak, vanilla and maple notes. There is also a big whiskey character to the flavor, as well as some roasted malt and quite a bit of chocolate. Thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Very nice.

Dark murky brown throughout with a thin light brown head. This doesn't have a lot of visible carbonation, but does leaves some cling on the glass.

This a wonderfully aromatic beer. The bourbon barreling process has left this beer with an incredible vanilla, coconut, and oak aroma that is almost as good as any.

The flavor is no slacker either, and it follows in the same vein as the aroma. The bourbon character throughout this beer is a marvelous example of the transformation beer can possess after barreling. A low to moderate level of bitterness accompanies the mild bread and caramel notes mixed in with the bourbon.

Medium to thick bodied with low carbonation. Incredibly drinkable.

A wonderful treat, and I'm so glad at the opportunity to try this one.